Just Getting Soy Sauce In China

First of all, let me explain the title, “Just getting soy sauce”. Sounds simple enough, but what does it exactly mean? I do not want you to think this is about where you can buy the best soy sauce in China. Until I had visited China I was under the impression that soy sauce was added to a meal while you are eating. However, in China it is mostly used for cooking. In restaurants you do not see bottles of soy sauce on tables which you can pour over rice. More often you will see brown rice vinegar, which is delicious on white rice. Just getting soy sauce is a Chinese expression that became popular in 2008 when a juicy sex scandal rocked the entertainment industry. The scandal revolved around Edison Chen, a Hong Kong-Canadian musician and actor. One day, he brought in his computer to be fixed. However, the employees of the repair store found deleted photos of Chen in intimate scenes with numerous female Chinese celebrities. This was too good to be ignored and the photos were quickly leaked. Not surprisingly, the scandal rags had material for months, and many people were offended, but most didn’t care. When a local man in Guangzhou, was asked to give his opinion on the scandal by a local TV crew he simply said, “I don’t care. I’m just getting soy sauce.” In fact, this man, was on his way to a store to buy soy sauce, but the phrase “to get soy sauce” quickly became an internet sensation.

This, expressions changed to have a couple meanings, but the meaning I like the most is that I am a bystander or someone who is passing through. This was my perception of myself when I was travelling through China. I saw myself as someone who is passing through, taking photos, and trying not to be noticed. It was important to me that my photos look natural without people knowing they are being photographed. It might seem sneaky, but to me the essence of street photography is to capture a fleeting moment without retakes or changes. In my photos I tried to portray a bit of China and what a visitor can expect to see when they visit this fascinating and vibrant country.

My adventure in China began in 2012 when I agreed to teach English at Henan University in the city of Kaifeng for 10 months. Before this I did not know much about China. I found the teaching job online after becoming interested in the city of Kaifeng. I had heard about this city after reading “Behind the Wall” by Colin Thubron, which I highly recommend. After being accepted for the teaching position and receiving my visa, I booked my ticket to China. Armed with a full bag and the knowledge of two Chinese words: “hello” and “thank you”, I took the plunge into the unknown. After leaving China, I felt it pulling me back and for a month in 2014 I came back to take more photos. From 2015 – 2016 I once again worked as an Engish teacher at Henan University of Economics and Law, but this time in the city of Zhengzhou. Teaching and living in China is like China itself, full of contrasts.

You can see more of my photos at my Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TPanasiak/

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Just Getting Soy Sauce In China